Hat



6 Sheets-Sheet 2 HAT E. c. sLoAN ET A1.

Filed Feb. 4, 19:55

Nov. 15, 1938.

Nov. 15, 1938. E. c. sLoAN ET A1. 2,136,473

HAT

Filed Feb. 4, i935 s sheets-sheet a 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nov. 15, 1938. E. c. sLoAN ET Al.

HAT

Filed Feb. 4, 1955 Nov. 15, 1938.

AE. c. SLOAN ET A1.

HAT

Filed Feb. 4, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 15, 1938.

E. C. SLOAN ET Al.

HAT

Filed Feb. 4, .1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 ntented Noa 15 1938 Edward 6C'. Sloan, Geneva,

and Gustave d. Sperre,

at. Chai-les, lill., assignors to .liesse B. Hawley,

Geneva, lill.

application February l, 11935, Seriali No. 4,@62

il' Claims.

The present invention relates to hats and more particularly to hats made of brous material.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a novel hat composed of fibrous material and having a covering of suitable material and also a novel method of producing such hat. The invention comprehends the making of a hat which will be light in weight, which will have excellent heat transfer insulating properties, which will not absorb and hold luids and thus will be huid proot, which is impervious to fluids, which may be easily cleaned with the usual cleaning agents without any injurious eect on the hat, which 1s still, tough and durable, which may be colored and decorated as desired, which has coverings of any desired material, which will maintain its shape, which will have the appearance of hats made olf-cloth or the like, which may be produced quickly with simple operations at small expense and cost and on a large scale or in a large ca pacity of production without the necessity of making hats of different 'sizes to fit different sizes of heads thus eliminating the need for different equipment, machinery and apparatus for diifer- `deforming stresses and strains.

ent sizes of hats, which will be accurately and uniformly made, which in the manufacturing thereof may be easily and quickly made in any desired shape or form, which mayv be compressed or compacted as desired, which will have sharp, Well defined and distinct features, ornate or otherwise, which will have any surface finish desired and any color or combination of colors as desired, and which will have an attractive appearance.

rlf'he invention also comprehends the producing ci a novel hat composed of fibrous material initially deposited, accreted, interlaced and inte grated so as tol form a seamless integral stiff hat in the final desired shape, form or contour and character, free of internal stresses tending to change its form, shape or contour as initially produced, 4thus avoiding warping, distortions and the like. The hat of the present invention is made or composed initially in its final and intended form of brous material deposited, accreted, interlaced, molded` and integrated preferably upon a contoured porous former so that the member so produced is seamless, of the desired thickness and compactness or density, light in Weight, stiff, tough and durable, and without There is no tendency for it to change to any other shape or contour or even become distorted to any degree, because it is not deformed from any other shape or contour, and hence it remains normally of the the making of hats (Cl. M3)

shape it initiallyreceived when molded or accreted etc. Should anything tend to change lts shape, it will restore itself to its original shape or state, thus making for permanency of form and condition.

Another advantage of making the hat by accreting brous material upon a contoured porous former is that any desired shape, contour and design feature may be obtained which would be impossible `to effect by the deformation of a sheet of material, the final desired form being produced by the present invention initially when the libres are accreted, interlaced and integrated.

Our invention comprehends more particularly of the character described above with a covering, preferably of cloth, on either the outer or inner surface of the hat or both, said coveringbeing preferably obtained by molding a sheet of cloth by means of dies of the same contour as that of the hat body blank, and maintaining said sheet under constant yieldable stretching tension in all directions throughout the molding stage, and until said sheet is caused to conform to the shape of the mold. The covering thus formed. is continuous in all directions, that is, the strands are uncut trom edge to edge, and the covering conforms in size and shape with the body and is free of tension and stresses in all directions. lin the case of a cloth covering only on the outer surface of the' hat, the latter preferably has an inner coating of any desired suitable substance with or without an inner liner ot cloth or the like. In the case of covering both the outer and inner surfaces, the hat body or carcass is completely encased or enveloped in the cloth or like covering.

'I'he body or carcass of the hat of the present invention is preferably produced by the method and means disclosed in the co-pendng application of Jesse B. Hawley, identified as Serial No.

g 4,866, filed February 4, 1935, and as disclosed therein.

Other objects, advantages, capabilities, features, process steps and the like are comprehended by the invention as will later appear and as are inherently possessed by the invention.

Referring to the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a means for forming `the hat of fibrous material;

Fig. 2 is a similar fragmentary view of a form of drying die that may be used;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of the male drying die with a female drying die;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a heat lid transfer die means which may be used in lieu of the dies shown in Figs. 2 and 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of a part of the die means shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken in planes represented by line 6-6 in Fig. 4 of the drawings;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a hat blank made in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing a hat blank having coatings or coverings.

Fig. 9 is a similar view of a male die composed of yieldable material, such as rubber, gelatin or the like;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of `a holderfor the cloth covering to be applied to the hat blank;

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view of a male die of yieldable material and showing a stretched sheet of cloth on it before the application of the female forming die;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary similar view showing the application of the hot female die;

Figs. 13 and 13*l are similar views but showing another male die of yieldable material and a hot female die for treatment of the hat blank with its coverings;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the edge or rim portion of the hat blank and its coatings and coverihgs prior to forming a bead;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of part of a bead forming die means With a hat blank and its coverings in place before forming the bead Fig. 16 is a similar view showing the formed bead;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary sectional view of a hat having an inner coating or covering of desired material as powdered cork or the like;

Fig. 18 is a similar view of a male die of yieldablematerial and a. cloth liner for the brim portion of the hat before application of the liner to the hat blank;

Fig. 19 is a. similar view showing the application of the liner and the use of a hot female die;

Fig. 20 is a similar view of the edge of the brim before beading;

Fig. 21 is a similar view showing the bead and the bead forming means, as in Fig. 16;

Fig. 22 is .a view in elevation of a completed hat constructed in accordance with the inven- Fig. 23 is a bottom plane view of the same; and,

Fig. 24 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale showing a means of connecting the sweat band to the hat.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the hat is produced from fibrous material, such as pulp `or the like, and may include any other fibrous material such as wool,'cotton, linen, silk, jute, hemp, asbestos, kapok, and similar fibrous material, the term pulp being herein used generically to include any, or any combination, of the various fibres that may be used. For the purpose of carrying out the invention, the fibrous material is placed with water in a beater or beater engine to beat the fibres and to disintegrate and disperse the water, and also to shorten and hydrate the fibres to the desired point or extent.

The mixture of batch as it is usually called is then treated with suitable substances to proof the fibres. This may be effected in any of several ways. As for example, while continuing the lresistant to deformation and beating of the material in the beater engine, water proofing wax or wax emulsion may be added to the mixture, as in the proportion of about 0.25 to 8 percent of the weight of the dry material first placed in the beater. The beating and stirring may be continued for a suilicient period of time, such as from 10 to 15 minutes until the wax or wax emulsion has been thoroughly dispersed and mixed or incorporated with the fibres, after which powdered alum or a solution of alum may be added in a quantity sufiiclent to set the wax on or in the nbres. 'Ihis wax or wax emulsion has the property of softening, and water and moisture proofing the fibres, as also smoothing the surfaces of the fibres. The beating and stirring may continue until the setting has been effected, and then the material termed stock" may be stored in a suitable tank or vat for use when molding or accreting on the porous former or die.

As other examples, in lieu of wax or wax emulsion, paper makers rosin in an amount of about 1 to 5 percent of the weight of the dry material flrst placed in the beater may be used, or latex, or powdered or emulsiiied asphalt, and the like may be used, each of which may also be set with .alum as above described in connection with wax. 'I'he rosin has the property of stiffening, and water and moisture proofing the fibres. The latex toughens and renders the fibres resilient or the like. The

asphalt is used to give the fibres water and moisture proofing characteristics as also for stiffening the fibres.

As further examples, proofing may likewise, by a like or similar process, be effected with starch, glue, casein, or silicate of soda, and the like, in which case setting with alum is not necessary as in the cases referred to above. The starch stiiens and smooths the bres. The glue, casein and the silicate of soda stiffens the fibres. 'I'he glue is particularly useful in connection with wax to counteract the softening effect the wax has on the fibres.

The fibrous material preferably used is that of pulp or pulp mixed with other fibres as desired. The pulp or pulp component may be of kraft fibres such as southern kraft fibres, sulphite pulp, or rope pulp, wherein the material is Stiff and will produce a comparatively stiii hat. When using softer fibres such as soda pulp, the material is softer and produces a less stiff hat. The sulphite pulp reduces the shrinkage of the kraft pulp and adds strength when used with the soda pulp, and hence it is preferable to use sulphite pulp especially the Mitscherlich pulp, with either the kraft or soda pulp. The unbleached fibres are vstronger than the bleached fibres, while the Mitscherlich sulphite pulp is stronger than the common type of pulp fibres. Preferably the kraft and sulphite pulp, both the common and the Mitscherlich type, are used. By mixing the stiffer with the softer materials with or without the other fibrous material mentioned above, any desired degree of stiffness or softness may be had.

'I'he means selected to illustrate the invention comprises a molding or forming die in the form.

of a contouredplate l provided with a plurality of openings or apertures 2, the lower rim 3 of the plate being seated upon a table or platen l having an apertured hub 5 in which is secured the upper end of a duct 6 leading to a suitable source of suction or pressure (not shown). The platen 4 is adapted by suitable means (not shown) to be lowered into and raised out of the lil casema bath l in a vat or tank B. The plate l and the platen d `enclose a chamber 9 in which is normally created a suction for the drawing of the water of the bath through the holes t. The bath l consists of water and fibrous material the hbres of which are maintained in dispersed suspension in the water by suitable agitation of the bath screen it are lowered and submerged in the bath 'ill vfor the passage of air.

"l, The suction draws the water through the interstices of the screen it and the holes 2 to be delivered to the duct t, causing a deposit, accretion, interlacing and integration of the fibres in theform of a contoured layer or stratum il on the screen it, the thickness and compactness or density of this stratum depending upon the time of immersion, the magnitude of the suction, the nature of the fibres, and the percentage of libres in the bath. in some cases setting up a vibration in the mold will also have some effect, particularly in the interlacing of the bres.

When the desired layer or stratum is accreted, interlaced and integrated, the platen il and the mold die lmlll with the hbrous material thereon are raised out of the bath. The suction during emersion is continued to prevent the washing away of some of the fibrous material, and also, after emersion, to draw air through the fibrous blank or stratum for removing surplus water, that is, as a preliminary -drying of the same. lif desired warm or heated air or the like may be thus drawn through the blank to dry the blank but it is preferable to dry the blank `in a manner hereinafter disclosed.

lio assist in expelling the Surplus water in the blank, a female die li shown in dotted lines in Fig. l may be applied to the blank with pressure to squeeze out some of the water as also to partly compress or compact the blank, the suction in the chamber t continuing to draw out this water and discharge it through the duct t.

The female die if comprises a contoured wall or plate it conforming to the shape or contour of the blank, and'having holes or apertures ill .llt the base is provided a base hangs lll upon which seats the lower edge portion it of the housing or casing ll' of. the female die, this casing comprising walls lli' and a top it, thus enclosing a chamber llt about the wall lil. .dt a suitable low point is connected a pipe or duct 2| for the discharge of any water that may be drawn through the apertures it under the influence of the vacuum created in the chamber ft at the time when the wet blank l l is compressed between the die walls l and i3.

The die lf serves as a transfer means for the blank ll. After the blank ll has been corn-` pressed, the vacuum in chamber d is discontinued and a pressure is edected therein while a suction is created in chamber ft of the female die. The die lf ,is then lifted and the blank il will be lifted with it, the blank adhering to the wall ld of the die l2. The die l2 with the blank l l clinglng toit are then brought over a hot male die 22 having a contoured wall or plate 23 provided with a plurality of holes or apertures 24. The lower portion of the wall 23 has a rim ft which seats upon a table or platen 2t having an apertured hub 2l in which is connected a pipe or duct 28 leading to a suitable source of suction or pressure (not shown). The wall it and platen it thus enclose a chamber ill. The die if and blank l l are moved down so as to set the blank ll on the contoured wall ft as shown in Fig. 2, the die il applying the necessary pressure to compress and compact the fibrous material oi' the blank l l, and the vacuum therein being changed to a pressure so as to relieve the blank from the die ll and to cause it to adhere to the die il, after which the die' l2 is removed. The heat of the die wall fd converts the moisture or Water remaining in the blank to steam, vapor and the like, which are drawn through the apertures fd by reason of the vacuum in chamber and are discharged through the duct 2t. If desired heated or hot air, gas, or other medium may be drawn through the blank and the holes fil to effect a drying of the blank, but it is preferable to apply a hot female die it comprising an imperforate contoured wall or plate tl the lower edge portion of which has a nange :if upon which the lower edge portion it of the housing or casing .iid seats. The casing tt may be octagonal in shape andcomprises end Walls and tt (see Fig. 6), side walls 3l and iid, angle walls llt, llt, dl and lll provided with openings llt, lill, dit and it for-the projection of llames from burners lll, llt, lill and bd into the chamber bl, and a top wall tf. Besides applying heat the wall di also applies pressure to compress and compact the fibrous material of the blank ll as also to give the blank the desired nished dehnition of contour. The steam, vapor, moisture, and the like are drawn through the holes ft and discharged through the duct If desired, and preferably, the drying and cornpressing may be effected on the heat transfer die shown in Figs. d, 5 and 6 wherein is shown a male die comprising a Wall or plate bt having at its lower edge a flange dll seated upon a table or platen lib, thus enclosing a chamber bfi for containing a heat transfer medium. At the top the wall' td has an opening 53E with which communicates a duct 5l preferably formed integral at its upper end' to the plate t3 and having its lower open end tt located in an aperture provided in the platen bb (Fig. ll) The platen 5t is clamped to a platen bd which has a opening tt in line with the opening in platen fait in which the duct portion lit is located, and in which is connected an end of a duct lil leading to a suitable source of suction (not shown). Both platens tb and 5l are provided with openings di!A and lit for projection therethrough of flames from burners lill into the charnber bt.

In the upper'or outer contoured surface of the wall 5t are provided a plurality of channels or grooves 65, tt and tl! extending more or less radially and of which channels t5 lead to and communicate with the opening 5311, there being also cross channels t8, (it, lll and 'il more or less circular or oval shaped for establishing communications between and among the channels lib, tt and bl whereby steam, vapors etc. may be led to the opening 53a and duct 5l.

Upon the wall 53 is located a contoured die wall l2 having a plurality of holes or apertures it, and being provided at its lower edge portion with a ange 74 seated upon the flange 5t of the wall l 53. At the top the wall 'l2 has a boss "lb to conform with the top knot feature in the hat blank to be later more fully described.

lili

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The upper and outer contoured\surface cf the wall 12 is covered by a thin fine mesh reticulated member or screen 16 having the same contour as the wall 12, and having a base flange 11 seated upon the flange 14 of the wall 12 and an upper boss 18 conforming to the boss 15.

'Ihe hat blank I I reposes on this screen having been transferred from the molding die shown in F'ig. 1 by the transfer die I2 and placed upon the screen 16 by changing the vacuum in the chamber 20 of the transfer die I2 to a pressure, after which the transfer die is removed. andthe female die 30 is brought in place to compress the blankA The wall 3| of the female die 30 is contoured to the desired shape to be given to the hat blank, and has its base flange 32 above or over the flange 11 of the screen 16 and has at the top a boss 18. It will be noted that the die. walls 12 and 3| as also the screen 16 have contoured design features, such as bosses 15, 18 and 18 to form a boss 80 in the blank II in representation of a top knot on the hat (Figs. 7, 8, 17 and 19), also ribs running radially over the crown part to form ribs 8l in the hat blank in representation of seams or the like on the hat crown (Figs. 7, 8, 17 and 19), and also ridges 82, 83 and 84 to form ridges 85 in the hat blank in representation of folds or pleats 85 on the hat (Figs. 7, 8, 17 and 19).

While the female die compresses the blank Il, hot productsof combustion are projected through the burner holes into the chambers 56 and 5I so as to heat the walls 53 and 3| and to supply heat to the wall 12 and to the blank Il. A suction is effective in the duct 51 whereby the steam, vapors, and moisture formed in the material of the blank will be drawn out by way of the reticulations of the screen 16, the holes 13 in the wall 12, the channels 65--1I in the surface of the Wall 53, and thence to the opening 53L and through the ducts 51 and 6I. The blank is thus dried and set with the desired finish definition as impressed by the particular surface contour of the die walls and the screen 16. The female die 28 may then be removed and the blank taken off of the screen 16. If desired a transfer die similar to that shown in Fig. 1 with a suction in its chamber may be used to remove the blank from the screen 16, after which a pressure in the chamber of the transfer die will suffice to blow off the blank.

The hat blank or carcass shown in Fig. 7 is therefore substantially stiff, strong, tough, and water and moisture proof, thel fibres from which it is composed having been treated in the beater with the proofing substances mentioned above. The stiffness of the blank is particularly of the kind whereas when a part of the hat is displacedY or strained, it will either be readily restored to its original form without any injury to the hat, or restore itself to its original shape when the straining stress is removed, a characteristic which is not present in articles accreted in the usual Way from the usual fibres, the proofing substances and the mode of proofing giving the hat, in this invention, the peculiarly new and beneficial properties and characteristics mentioned above. The moisture and water proofing quality is such as to make it unnecessary to coat the hat with a coating or covering of water and moisture proofing substance, but in the present invention it is preferable to apply a coating either on the outside or inside surface or both which will form a covering or skin to seal oif the interstitial spaces or cells in the fibrous body of the blank particularly for effecting insulation against heat transfer, although incidentally the coating will also add to the water and moisture goiong property or characteristic of the hat After the blank, as shown in Fig. 7, has been dried and set, its rim portion IIn is preferably dipped in shellac or the like so as to facilitate the later forming of this rim portion into a bead later described herein.

After the sheilac has dried, it is preferable to coat, as by brushing, the outer surface of the blank with a size so as to form the coating or skin referred to above. If desired, particularly in the case of where the inside of the hat is to have no cloth covering or to have only a cloth liner on the inside of the brim, a like coating may be applied on the inside surface of the hat. In the case of where both the inside and outside surfaces of the hat are to be wholly cloth covered, it is preferable to omit the inner coating of the size. For the purpose of illustration the coatings are designated by the reference characters 86 and 81 in Fig. 8 of the drawings.

The size preferably used is that known as nitrocellulose cotton which is dissolved in lacquer solvents, and is preferably pigmented with any of the various enamel pigments suitable to the color the hat is to have, or any suitable dye may be incorporated for the same purpose. If desired any other similar size may be used such as that made from acetate cotton. Even latex or rubber cement and the like may be used. The size does not penetrate the fibrous mass but simply forms a sealing coating or skin on the surface of the blank. The coating or coatings, as the case may be, also increase the water proofing properties or characteristics of the hat material.

After the coating or coatings are dry, either the outside or both the outside and the inside may then .be coated with a coating 88 and/or 88a of a thermoplastic substance preferably of a resin base, or the like, the thermoplastic being preferably applied by spraying in liquid form and having a volatile solvent. After the volatile solvent has evaporated and the thermoplastic substance has dried, a cloth covering is applied and a hot female die with the proper contoured wall is pressed against the cloth covering with requisite pressure. The heat of the female die causes the thermoplastic substance to fuse or become sufficiently plastic as to become bonded to the cloth covering as is more fully explained later. Then the die is removed, the thermoplastic substance so setting as to bond the cloth to the hat thus forminga tough durable covering for the hat.

When applying the.c1oth covering, it is preferable to place the coated blank on a die 89 (Fig. 9) of suitable yieldable material, such as rubber, gelatine and the like, the die being fixed to a platen 90 having a support 9|.

The thermoplastic substance referred to is in the class of synthetic resinous compounds known as the vinyl resins of the polymerization group and more particularly those which are permanently thermoplastic, characterized by the bond group or radical -CH:CHz, and which are insoluble in most all known solvents, particularly the hydrocarbon solvents, except the solvents of the ester type or the higher ketones, such as hexone and butyrone. In other words, the substance used in this invention is chemically inert to the extent indicated above and hence is imdescribed method of molding the cover has a very pervious to and proof against moisture, water, acids, alkalies, alcohols, oils, greases, fats, and the like. In its normally pure state it is odorless, tasteless, colorless, and transparent. It is also non-'inammable It may be given any color or made translucent or opaque as desired by the .incorporating or mixing therewith of dyes, pigments, fillers, or the-like. 'It is also tough, durable and resilient. It also has a very strong bonding or adhesive property. i It may be applied either in liquid or solid form or both. When using this substance in liquid form, acetone preferably is used as the solvent but it is to be understood other solvents as mentioned above may be used without affecting the idea of invention herein disclosed.

The present invention comprehends the application of a covering of cloth or the like to the outer surface of the hat blank, or to both the outer and inner surfaces of the hat blank, so as to produce a hat with a clothor like covering, or whereby the hat blank or carcass will be entirely encased or enveloped in the cloth or like covering.

In either case of applying a cloth covering to the outer surface of the hat or to both the outer and inner surfaces, of the hat, each covering of cloth may rst be formed or deformed between dies to the general shape of the hat blank before applying the covering or coverings, although in some cases depending on the kind of cloth used,

the covering may be applied directly to the blank withoutv preforming the covering sheet.

Referring to Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13, a sheet 92 of cloth is held in a stretched condition by a group of resilient connecting elements 93 such as springs suitably engaged with the cloth as by clips 94 and with a ring 95. The cloth is wetted with water or other suitable liquid and isA then brought over a male die 96 of yieldable material such as rubbergelatin or the like, and is stretched taut i over the die as shown in Fig. 11 by forcing down the ring 95 (shown in Fig. 10) around the die and below it. The die has on its contoured surface a stratum 91 of flbrous material such as one of the uncoated hat blanks, the stratum 91 adhering to the surface-of the die body 96 with any suitable` adhesive not affected by water, steam, moisture and heat. To the outer surface of the stratum 91 is engaged a sheet 98 of cloth also made to adhere to the stratum with a suitable adhesive which is not affected by water, steam, moisture and heat,

and which is also pervious so as to permit passage of steam, vapors, moisture and the like.

With the parts in the position as shown in Fig. 11, the cloth 92 being held in taut stretched condition, a hot female die 30a having a contoured wall 3|, such as shown in Fig. 12 of the drawings', is forced down over the assembly so as to change the shape of the cloth sheet 92 to the contour of the die surface, that is, to conform to the contour of the surface of the cloth sheet 98, as clearly shown in Fig. 12. The threads of the cloth sheet 92 are so stressed and strained as to make the sheet 92 attain the contoured form or shape shown in Fig. 12. The steam, vapors and moisture escape through the interstices of the strata 91 and 98 to the lower edge ithereof. After the cloth sheet 92 is dried, the female die lilla isremoved and the cloth sheet 92 peeled off of the die 96. The die tilla is similar to that shown in Figs. 3

and 6 with the exception it is preferably heated by steam instead of by flames from burners, and hencehas ducts 33a for conductingsteam into and from the chamber 5Ia of the die. The above decided and important advantage, which has been fully set forth in the copehding application Serial No. 68,458, filed March 12, 1936, which is a division of this application, and further description thereof is deemed unnecessary. It is sufficient to say at this point, however, that the tendency of the molded cover to 'change its shape after the molding operation, due to unequal strains and stresses upon the different threads of the fabric, is practically prevented. 1

The cloth 92 is then placed ony the hat blank which is on the male die 89 (see Figs. 9 and 13) As stated above the hat blank has on its outer surface a covering or stratum 81 of thermoplastic substance. This stratum is of sufficient thickness as to penetrate the cloth piece 92 when subjected to heat as described below.

A hot female die, such as die 30b with the contoured wall 3|b, is forced down over the cloth 92, and the heat of the die causes the thermoplastic substance to fuse and become sufficiently plastic so that it penetrates into the cloth 92. 'Ihis die is like die 30* and is preferably steam heated, with the exception the wall 3|b has a nish surface contour which is not present in die wall 3 la.

In the present invention the thermoplastic substance is preferably applied to the surface of the coated hat blank by spraying in liquid form,.

although it might be applied with a brush. As the volatile solvent evaporates the liquid thickensand even becomes tacky. Air drying may be used but if desired the coating may be dried more quickly in heated air or the like. It is preferable to air dry first to obtain a removal of the major portion of the volatile solvents, and then force dry, in heated air. to remove the residual volatiles.

` As indicated above, the die l3l)b is applied with pressure. It is heated to the necessary temperature to fuse and melt the thermoplastic substance so that it will be sufficiently plastic or iiuidal to flow under the influence of heat and pressure of the die. The fused thermoplastic substance will enter or penetrate into the' interstices of the cloth 92 to unite therewith. The die is then removed and the thermoplastic substance will congeal or solidify and set. vThis substance acts as a stiffener or reinforcer for the body of the hat. It also acts as a very strong adhesive or bond for maintaining the parts in the relations assumed when subjected to pressure and heat; also as a p is placed upon a die 89a of suitable yieldable ma- Iterial such as rubber, gelatine and the like.

A rubber band |98 is preferably stretched over the lower portion of the cloth 9Ua to hold it in place as shown-in Fig. 13a. 'I'hen the hat blank with its coatings or coverings of thermoplastic material 88 and 88a, is placed upon the sheet 90EL of clothv reposing on the die 89a. Then the sheet 92 of cloth which is destined to form the outer covering of the hat is placed upon the outer surface of the hat blank as shown in Fig. 13a. .Coverings 88 and 98e of 'thermoplastic material are of sufficient thickness as to enter or penetrate into the cloth coverings to become united thereto or bonded therewith when the assembly is subjected to heat and pressure as described below.

A hot female die, such as die 30b with the contoured wall 3Ib, is then forced down over the outer sheet of cloth, and 'the heat and pressure of the die causes the thermoplastic substance to so fuse or become plastic as to penetrate into and become united or bonded with the cloth coverings 90 and 92. The die is then removed and the thermoplastic substance sets and solidiiles. This substance acts as a stiffener or reinforcer for the body of the hat, also as a very strong adhesive or bond for firmly and rigidly maintaining the parts in the relations assumed when subjected to pressure and heat, also as a protecting and preserving means for preventing the access of moisture and other deteriorating media., etc. to the material of the hat and the cloth coverings, and also in some cases, as an adorning or embellishing means to give the hat an appearance of elegance and the like,

After the die has been removed and the thermoplastic substance has set, the inner cloth sheet i's trimmed even with the outer edge of the rim Il, and the outer sheet 92 in either case of making the hat with an outer cloth covering or with outer and inner cloth coverings, is trimmed to leave an overhang S9 (see dotted line showing in Fig. 14). A coating or covering l of thermoplastic substance |00 besides covering/ the inside of the hat also isv applied to the edge l of the rim and to the inner surfaces of the overhang 99 and the edge portion of 'the rim of the cloth 00* when .the latter is present, in ample amount for bonding the parts when the overhang is turned or folded in over the edge of the rim. The extension 99 is shown in dottedflines in Fig. 14 before it is turned or folded in and in full lines after it is turned or folded in, the extension then having a part |0| bonded to the edge of the blank, and an inwardly extending part |02 bonded to the inner marginal portion of the hat brim rim or the edge portion of the cloth 90" as the case may be. An expansible band or hoop |03 may be used to hold the part |02 in place until the thermoplastic substance dries.

'I'he beading die means is shown as comprising two die parts |04 and |04- of which the die part |04 has a wall |05 contoured to correspond to the outer surface of the hat, this wall having a part |06 for supporting the brim part of the hat, and a part |01 for supporting the crown of the hat. The lower portion of the wall may be open for the projection of the crown top as shown in Fig. 15. The wall is preferably formed integral with a supportingbase |08 which may be cylindrical or oval shaped. The upper outer edge |09 1s designed to be no greater in diameter than the outer diameter of the hat brim, as is clearly shown in Figs. 15 and 16.

The die part |04* comprises an annular plate ||0 having upstanding spaced annular walls and ||2 forming therebetween an annular channel I|3 with which communicate pipes or ducts H4, there being two pipes of this kind, one acting as an inlet and the other as an outlet, for delivery and discharge of heat transfer media or fluids. The upper edges of the walls and I2 seat against a cover plate ||5 suitably se- A cured to the walls and ||2 in fluid tight contact.

Depending from theplate |I0 is a rim H6 having a chamfered part which serves to guide the rim IIB over the edge portion of the hat. The rim has an inner smooth guide surface I I8 leading into a bead forming or curling groove I|9 provided in the plate ||0 adjacent the rim H6, as clearly shown in Fig. 15 of the drawings.

To thc cover plate H5 are threadedly secured posts |20 having heads |2| on which is normally supported a presser plate |22 having a contoured surface |23 to conform With the inner surface of the brim of the hat when the die part |04 is lowered for the presser plate to press on the brim of the hat to hold the hat in place when being acted upon. On the posts are springs |24 which react between the plates ||5 and |22 as is clear from the drawings.

To form the bead or to curl the rim portion, after removing the band |03, the upper die component |04a is lowered, the inner smooth guiding surface ||8 of which slides over and along the outer surface of the rim part of the hat. At the same time the presser plate |22 contacts the brim part of the hat at the surface |23 of the plate, the springs |24 being compressed to apply the required pressure.

As the die part |04 is further lowered the upper edge of the rim of the hat is forced into the groove i i9 at the outer side thereof and the edge `portion of the rim is curved or curled inwardly as it is caused to move along the curved surface of the groove so as to bring the end of the curl is held in place to hold the curled part or bead in the form shown in Fig. 16. The heat is transmitted through the bead body so as to fuse the thermoplastic substance whereby it will permeate the coverings of the bead, especially the portion contacting the brim of the hat. Then cooling water or other heat exchange medium is passed through the chamber ||3 to cool the die part |0411. This causes the thermoplastic substance to set and harden or congeal so as to rigidly and firmly hold the bead in its curled form and to firmly bind or unite the edge portion of the bead to the adjacent portion of the hat brim. The die part |04n is then raised and the hat removed from the die part |04. Whether or not the edge portion of the bead be bonded to the adjacent portion of the hat brim, the solidified thermoplastic nevertheless rigidly holds the bead to its curved shape.

In the case of a hat not having any inner cloth covering, it is preferable to apply colored thermoplastic substances to the inside of the hat, and hence the inner coating or covering of the thermoplastic material |00 (see Fig. 17) may be of any desired color. As for example the portion of this covering which covers the brim part of the hat may be of a color such as green and the portion which covers the inside of the crown maybe white or any other desired color. In

.some cases it 'may be desired to coat the .coated part in the crown with some substance like powdered cork. In Fig. 17 is shown a coating of powdered cork |25. 'I'his may be applied by brushing the inside of the crown with a clear size and then sifting fine powdered cork on this wet coating. After drying with the adhering cork the lacquer coating may be sprayed thereover. In this way the insulating qualities of the hat may be increased or enhanced. After this treatment the edge may be trimmed or be curled as previously described.-

In some cases, it may be desired to place a liner on the inside of the brim of the hat. In such case, (Fig. 18) a linerA of cloth |26, which may or may not have been previously treated on its outer surface with a thermoplastic substance, is placed upon the brim portion of a male die |21 of suitable yielding material such as rubber, gelatine and the like. If desired, a coating of thermoplasfic substance may be applied to the surface of the liner at this time, or preferably, a coating of thermoplastic substance is sprayed on the inner surface of the hat brim. The hat blank is then placed upon this die and upon the liner so as to attain the relationship shown in Fig. 19. Then the hot female die 30h may be brought into place to apply heat and pressure so as to cause the liner |26 to adhere to the brim portion of the blank and also to cause a fusion or melting of the thermo-plastic substance whereby the liner |26 will be bonded to the brim portion of the blank. The die is then removed and as the thermoplastic substance solidies and sets, the liner is firmly held bonded to the brim of the hat. The edge portion of the blank is then treated in the curling die so as to form a bead as shown in Fig. 21. In this case, the edge portion |28 of the liner is trimmed even with the edge of the blank and the overhanging portion or extension 99 ofthe outer cloth covering (see dotted line portions thereof in Fig. 20) is turned in or folded inwardly into' the position shown in Fig. 2`0 and held in posi# tion by the ring or hoop |03 as in Fig. 14. The curling of the edge is performed in the'same way as described in connection with Figs. 14, 15 and 16 so as to provide the bead shown in Fig. 21.

The hat as 4formed in laccordance with the present invention and following the illustrative ambodiment selected to illustrate the invention, comprises a crown |30, a brim |3| having an edge bead |21. At the top of the crown is formed a boss to represent a top knot, ridges 8| to represent seams or the like, andv ridges to represent folds. or pleats or the like.

At the juncture |32 between the crown and the brim and inside of the hat are located connecting means |33 which, in the particular embodiment selected to illustrate the invention, are shown in the form of resilient strips which may be metal or the like. Each strip is provided at its lower end with an opening for receiving the shank of a lug or male part |34 of a glove snap type of securing or fastening means, the shank being provided with suitable flanges |35 and |36 at both sides of the lower end of the member |33. A socket or female part |31 of the glove snap type of fastening means extends through a hole provided in the juncture |32 of the hat and has an inner'ilage |38 abutting the inner surface of the hat and an outer head or flange part |39 of such a size as to' form a sort of an abutting flange at the outer surface of the hat.

The upper end of the strip |33 has a bend |40 and a short suspending end portion |4| which is provided with a hole in which is received a hollow rivet or eyelet |42 suitab-ly secured to the hat band |43 as clearly shown in Fig. 24.

The hat band |43 is in the form of a strip of material which has sufficient stiffness to be held in some general form and still is resilient enough to give for changing the size of the band. In the drawings, this hat band is shown to be of oval shape and is connected at spaced points to the connecting or supporting strips |33 as clearly indicated in the drawings. The band has free end portions 44 and 45 which may be suitably connected together by any suitable means. In the particular embodiment selected to illustrate the invention the end portions |44 and |45 are provided with eyelets |46 and |41 through which may be threaded a cord of elastic or non-elastic material as desired, in such manner that the ends |48 and |49 of the cord may be tied together to form a knot |50 at such a point as to determine the size of the hat band. By tying the cord with greater or less length of the lap of the cord between the end portions of the hat band, it will be apparent that the end portions |44 and |45 may be at a greater or less distance with respect to each other accordingly increasing or decreasing the size of the hat band.

In making adjustments ofthe size of the hat band each element |33 is capable of swinging about the axes of the snap means and also of the eyelet |42 to one side or the other. In other words, as the hat band is enlarged or made smaller in size the member |33 will be capable of movement angularly about either the axes of the snap or angularly about the axes of the eyelet in the hat band. In this way, the resilient members |33 compensate for the adjustment or variation in the size of the hat band. There is suicient friction between the flanges of the snap and the flanges of the eyelets on the hat band as to hold the elements 33 in adjusted position.

The members |33 are also flexible so that as the hat band is forced upon the head, when placing the hat upon the head, and is expanded` at the lower portion of the hat band, the members |33 will be flexed in compensation of that movement of the hat band.

The hat, it will be noted, is supported by way of the elements |33in a'sort of suspension from the hat band, the hat band being supported on the head of the wearer. It will also be noted that the hat band is spaced from the lower portion of the crown so that there is provided an air space between the hat'V band and the hat so as to afford free circulation of air. By reason of the resiliency or flexibility of the members or elements |33, when the hat band is placed upon the head, there is a certain amount of tension or pressure tending to hold the hat band snug yet comfortably upon the head of the wearer.

A chin strap |5| may also be secured to the hat band by suitable connecting elements, such as the lug and socket snap referred to above, such snap being designated as |52 and |53 in Fig. 23, it being understood that they are the same type as shown in Fig. 24.

One of the advantages of having both the hat band and the chin strap detachably connected to the hat is that the hats may all be made of one size and when the hat is to be used by the wearer of a different size of head, the hat band which is nearest to the size of the head may be easily snapped into place by snapping the male parts into the female parts of the snaps. If the hat band is not of the exact size of the head, adjustment may be made by tying the knot |50 at the proper point for the particular size of head of the wearer. Then the chin strap which has been chosen by the person to wear the hat, may be easily snapped into place as is obvious from the' a new chin strap will be attached into place in lieu of the ones formerly used by the previous Army man. It will obviate the necessity of issuing an entirely new hat to the second man.

Another advantage is that when it is desired to clean the hat, it is an easy matter 'to remove the hat band and the chin strap and after the hat has been cleaned it is as easy to replace them.

v While we have herein disclosed a few embodiments of the invention and a method of making the same, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but comprehends other constructions, details, arrangements of parts, features, process steps and the like without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus disclosed in the invention, we

claim:

1. A hat comprising a body composed of compressed pulp material the fibers of which have been initially so accreted and compressed as to form a relatively thin substantially rigid integral unit of the desired form, a pre-formed covering complemental to the contour of said body and adhered to at least one surface thereof, said covering consisting of a single piece of woven fabric whose strands are uncut from edge to edge and conforming in size and shape with said body and free of tension and stress in all directions so as to maintain its contour independently of said body.

2. A hat comprising a body composed of compressed pulp vmaterial the fibers of which have been initially so accreted and compressed as to form a relatively thin substantially rigid integral unit of the desired form, a pre-formed covering complemental to the contour of said body and adhered to at least one surface thereof, said covering consisting of a single piece of Woven fabric whose strands are uncut from edge to edge and conforming in size and shape with said body and free of tension and stress in al1 directions so as to maintain its contour independently of said body, and said cover extended over and covering the edge of the brim of said body.

3. A hat comprising a body composed of compressed pulp material the fibers of which have been initially so accreted and. compressed as to form a relatively thin substantially rigid integral unit of the desired form, a covering of woven material on at least one surface of said body and extending around the edge of the brim thereof. a thermo-plastic material adhering said covering to said body, the edge portion of said brim rolled into a hollow bead with the covered edge thereof in abutment with the covered face of said brim, said thermo-plastic material adhering said edge to said brim face.

4. A hat comprising a body composed of compressed pulp material, the fibers of which have been initially so accreted and compressed as to form a relatively thin substantially rigid integral unit of the desired form, a covering of cloth. on at least one surface of said body contributing to the stiffness thereof, a bonding substance firmly and intimately bonding said covering to said body, the edge portion of the brim and cover rolled into a bead with the edge thereof in abutment with a surface of said brim, and bonding material adhering said edge Ato said brim surface.

EDWARD C. SLOAN. GUSTAVE A. SPORRE. 

